If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

OSU-Cincy Game

Man, talk about getting off to a slow start in this one. I realize that being ranked #1 puts a target on your back by every opponent.

Didn't take the Bearcats seriously?
Thinking ahead to Penn State next week?
Bearcats played with nothing to lose?

That first half was downright ugly. I'm not trying to take anything away from the Bearcats because in that first half they played some inspired ball; but every scouting report I read showed them outmatched in every category (offensively and defensively).

And I realize the final score was 37-7 (pretty much made the spread); but for the first 2 1/2 quarters this game was not in the bag for OSU.

Grutza impressed me (18/22 for 206 yds).

Ginn had a terrible day on special teams IMO.

Gonzo was there for us again (5 receptions for 85 yds). He's a talented player, but I think teams are more worried about Ginn, whcih helps Gonzo out. Good.

The FG tandem of Pettrey/Pretorius looked darn good. Which, in Tressel's eye, means we're in FG range every time we cross mid-field!

But I thought the offensive play calling in the first half was pretty stale and predictable.

Next week: Penn State

Hard to judge by the Cincy game wether OSU's run defense is much improved.

Re: OSU-Cincy Game

Personally UC didnt stand a chance at OSU with their Refs UC didnt get one call in the 2nd half they played great and deserved to win to bad the score looks like a blowout

A thing that is heard by many a-football fan. I am an Ohio State fan... I felt the same way about the calls in the game at Texas last week (despite a big Buckeyes win).

Obviously you are a Bearcats fan, but I must disagree with one thing... that UC deserved to win. No way, no how (and in no way disrespectful towards you). UC was Overmatched w/ a capital "O". They played a valiant 1st half... as OSU played a not-so-good 1st half. Letdowns are a common thing in football. I think OSU's 1st half was the definition of a letdown. I also give UC credit for coming in w/ a good defensive scheme (the Dantonio factor perhaps?).

OSU came out in the 2nd half with a changed gameplan. I am not sure that OSU had used the option run this year until that 2nd half. They did what good teams do... made changes and executed them. UC just did not have the "horses" to keep up. UC was overmatched from the get-go, but showed heart and a good gameplan at the start and through a good chunk of the 2nd quarter. However, you do not lose by 30 points due to bad calls.

Re: OSU-Cincy Game

I watched this game twice. In no way possible can one even stretch it to say UC deserved anything other than the final outcome. Could they have made it closer? Surely. Could the Buckeyes have played a better 1s half? Yes. But the imbalance or discrepancy in officiating was simply not there - especially for a 30 pt deficit.

Overall, as an unabashed Buckeye fan and Ohio State alum, I was actually relatively pleased with the game. The team adjusted and improved as the game went along. Most any team can lose at any time, including the Buckeyes to the Bearcats. Yesterday was not one of those times. The final score was pretty indicative of the 2 teams IMHO. UC did come out with a great defensive gameplan. They did well during that time, to be sure. And I thought we had another very close one coming on. But the plan was eventually overcome by adjustments and an improvement in execution.

"I'm virtually free to do whatever I want, but I try to remember so is everybody else..." - Todd Snider

Re: OSU-Cincy Game

There was no reason though, that OSU should not have been marching the ball down that field every possession. I also disagree, respectfully, with the comment that U.C. didn't get the calls that OSU was getting. It appeared as though the Bucks were doing just what GAC said they were, just wearing down the smaller U.C. team in the first half just to come out the second half and wlak all over them

Re: OSU-Cincy Game

Originally Posted by max venable

Anybody think Tressel's gonna put much on film for JoPa or anyone else against Cincinnati? Come on. The Bucks were merely toying the the Bearcats.

Exactly. Everyone knows that Tressel is going to coach every game close to the vest. No way he will put anything on film that would help a Big-10 opponent later on. Keep it simple, keep it basic, don't show anything, and don't embarrass your good friend on the other sideline (if at all possible).

So what is the Penn State staff gonna do? "Well, let's see...they lined up with 2 TE's and ran a lot of option. Let's gameplan for that!"

Re: OSU-Cincy Game

Originally Posted by dman

There was no reason though, that OSU should not have been marching the ball down that field every possession. I also disagree, respectfully, with the comment that U.C. didn't get the calls that OSU was getting. It appeared as though the Bucks were doing just what GAC said they were, just wearing down the smaller U.C. team in the first half just to come out the second half and wlak all over them

IMO the reason they did not march down the field on every possession is that the Buckeyes are made up of 18-22 yr-old (in most cases)young men who have been conceivably well-trained in college football as are the Bearcats. The guys on in both groups still play well and make mistakes. The cream of the crop tend to play better when they play well (if that makes any sense) and do it more frequently. Over the course of 1 football game, you won't always see the score disparity parallel that of the recruiting rankings. The 67-0 blowouts happen against BAD programs or in flukey circumstances. We saw neither Saturday. To top it off, I'd never expect the Buckeyes to completely annihilate a team under Mr. Dantonio unless they were just completely overmatched in every way.

In other words, just the difficulty of making any kind of talent disparity consistently show up "on paper" (scoreboard) on a game-by-game basis with college "kids" is really an enormous task with IMO little reward either personally or otherwise. When you couple that with a coach who is not too hung up on the final score other than a win (which I agree with him about) and the chance that 2nd/3rd teamers (and even 4th in the case of the QB) will play when a score begins to get lopsided, then the blowouts of huge magnitudes (say 5 TD or more) become even more difficult.

I don't think the Buckeyes are world-beaters because they won 37-7. I also don't think it shows that they are still not an excellent football team and possibly as good as anyone in the land. First half could have been much better. A decisive 2nd half made me feel pretty good about the team.

"I'm virtually free to do whatever I want, but I try to remember so is everybody else..." - Todd Snider

Re: OSU-Cincy Game

Originally Posted by bucksfan

The team adjusted and improved as the game went along.... UC did come out with a great defensive gameplan. They did well during that time, to be sure....But the plan was eventually overcome by adjustments and an improvement in execution.

And that was really the key to it all. The ability to see those plans on the field and make those adjustments. UC could not only overcome those adjustments; but was unable to make adjustments of their own.

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most
importantly, enjoy yourselves!

RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball